Losing patience with my Hornady LnL giving me high primers

[moxie]

The cure to 99.99999999% (maybe more) of all primer woes is the hand-held primer.

 

[dickttx]

I have about 20K through my LnL. Other than letting the shellplate getting a little loose occasionally it has been at least 15K rounds since I have had any problem with a primer.
After trying several things I finally found that the addition of a plain split washer solved the shell plate problem.
The dimple has not caused me any problems so far.

 

[joustin]

I've got about 1300-1400 rounds on my LNL AP but I have only primed about 40 pieces so far, I prefer hand priming while watching tv etc., it keeps me from slowing down while loading. I'd like to see a fix for this though

 

[Rmeju]

Hi all. I tried to shim the hub, per the guide on ar15.com, but it locked up my press. The fit is already pretty tight and that killed it. I've also disassembled the punch, which doesn't have anything stuck in it.

I have a hand primer and a turret press that does priming well, but to me, the whole point of a progressive is that you can do everything on the progressive. I'll check out the YouTube videos and see if they're any help. Hopefully they aren't the same ones I've already seen!

ETA: I was originally using a penny under the punch before the nickel, but it got a simple just like the press...

 

[fiftybmg]

Hi all. I tried to shim the hub, per the guide on ar15.com, but it locked up my press. The fit is already pretty tight and that killed it. I've also disassembled the punch, which doesn't have anything stuck in it.

I have a hand primer and a turret press that does priming well, but to me, the whole point of a progressive is that you can do everything on the progressive. I'll check out the YouTube videos and see if they're any help. Hopefully they aren't the same ones I've already seen!

ETA: I was originally using a penny under the punch before the nickel, but it got a simple just like the press...

Coins are too soft, they are made of some copper alloy, then nickel plated, so it's like trying to use brass against that steel primer punch.

Get a steel washer, glue it so the body of the washer covers the dimple.

Eventually [ thousands of rounds later ] that primer punch is going to dimple the washer, so you take it off and glue another one down.

 

[Walkalong]

I have never primed a case on my LNL. Maybe Hornady should drill and tap that spot, and use a steel (replaceable) insert. (Yea, I know, costs money. )

If I ever start priming on mine, I know what I am doing.

 

[Potatohead]

The cure to 99.99999999% (maybe more) of all primer woes is the hand-held primer.

Though not particularly helpful for this thread, I have to agree with you there.

When I was researching which press to get, and forming in my mind how I'd go about the whole process of empty case to loaded round, one of the first things I noticed was the qty of "priming on press problem" threads, especially in comparison to the hand priming problem threads. Took one look at a fella using an RCBS hand unit on YouTube and figured I could probably handle that.

Still, I'd like to take one all the way around the bases on the press one day.

 

[PhilMc]

Do not have priming problems with my LNL. I prime using a bench mounted RCBS automatic primer. Works like a champ and saves a lot of headaches while running the LNL.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I hate to see so many people having the issues and really hate to hear about their experience with Hornady's support. I have only had to call Hornady once and it was for 223 die's the decap dies was replaced with a new one as my original one out of the box was out of spec. But I recieved no hassle at all. My LnL has about 15K rounds pushed through it and I put a penny over the dimple but have no need to do all the other tricks as the press has been solid from day 1.

I made a quick video of me reloading 9mm on it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7Fh5FJVJA

Here is a video I made some time ago of me loading 40S&W.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF8n_nd41Sc

Both of these videos are with me taking it nice and slow and consistent to be safe verifying the powder charge.

I think part of the high primers could be mount related as the press flex's as you are operating it. I can't say for sure becuase mine was mounted to an over built bench that took three guys to get it in my garage after building it outside but then I purchased the inlinefabrication mount to raise the press above the bench and it is one heck of a sturdy mount. I get no flex at all when loading.

 

[jrdavidson]

@TitegroupTiger: I'm probably on ~20,000 rounds on this press. I definitely have the dimple (which I've been covering with a nickel, which is helping but not curing the problem). I've been having problems with .45acp, 10mm, .308, and 7mm Rem Mag, which are all large primer punch. The latest problems have been with 7mm, which I was having serious trouble with today. I have not loaded AK, 30-06 or .223 since noticing this problem. These calibers may or may not have the issue described above, I just haven't tested yet.

I taped a piece of thin sheet steel from Home Depot on the lower arm under the screw-in primer bolt to compensate for the dimple the bolt was creating in the lower arm. That seems to have corrected the high primer issue.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I cannot for the life of me understand why anybody would satisfied hand priming cases for a progressive press. I run all my rounds through my L&L soup to nuts, spent case to finished round.

When the pesky dimple showed up I solved this problem by gluing a big fender washer over the dimple. The washer is about .040 thick. Completely solved the problem and I can run all my cases through all five stations like the machine was meant to be used.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I drilled and Tapped my Hornady LnL AP today

See how I did it and let me know what you think. It is working great so far. I was not having any issues but I have been reading so many priming issues, I wanted to try a permanent fix to hopefully help the community.

Hornady LNL AP Primer Fix

 

[fiftybmg]

Well done. That is something Hornady can take and use on future presses.

After looking at the effort involved, I chickened out of drilling and tapping. I have a lifetime supply of fender washers in my garage.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

It is an easy job but I understand and I won't lie when I started drilling I was sweating big time and didn't even notice it. My wife came out to see what I was doing and she thought I was having a medical issue I was sweating so bad LOL.

The key is taking your time and just going deep enough.

Like I said I hope it helps someone, but the washer thing works also. I am going to get some red paint today to try and make it match.

 

[Blue68f100]

There is really nothing to be gain by installing a set screw over a steel plug. The main thing is the height needs to be level with the casting. The set screw does allow you to adj up/down but then you must lock it in place once set. The steel plug can have advantages in that it can be larger giving you a lot of wiggle room if you missed the center. If a little loose a little epoxy can fix very easily.

Has anyone tried the JB Weld Steel. This stuff set hard enough to machine, so maybe just a surface layer will work. Like putty.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I believe there is in that you have steel on steel vs steel on soft cast thus preventing the dimple.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Has anyone tried the JB Weld Steel. This stuff set hard enough to machine, so maybe just a surface layer will work. Like putty.

Yes, I tried JB Weld. It is not hard enough nor strong enough. It lasted for about five minutes before it all got chewed out. I also tried using a quarter. But the quarter got dented. That's when I tried the fender washer which is still working great about a year later.

 

[RealGun]

As a side note, I looked at my press, and it has only the barest of mark and paint removal under the primer punch. I don't prime by ramming the up or return motion of the handle. I stop and then use a sort of grunt motion, with which I can feel the primer going in and seating.

I have the latest parts from Hornady for primer slide and punch. I also have a new subplate. That is the context of my anecdote.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I followed the same procedure. Again I was not having an issue other than the ugly "dimple" which was sizeable So I wanted a permanent fix for myself and hoped to benefit others. I absolutely love my press and haven't had to do all the tweaking others are talking about. I followed the setup instructions and it is rock solid and I am glad I went this direction.